After a period of time, the contaminates in a sand filter start to clog the sand to the point where water flow is significantly diminished and the pressure gauge rises 8 to 10 psi above normal operation readings. To clean out the contaminates, you have to backwash the sand. This guide shows you the steps in backwashing a filter.
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pam Posted: 6/25/2017
I have a 1 year old Hayward sand filter. I have to backwash & rinse every 2 days or so only because I don't get the flow in the pool like I should. the pressure only fluctuates 2 psi. it starts back like a champ but 2 days later the water is almost calm.Reply
Aj Posted: 6/24/2017
First time pool owner:We have had record amount of rain fall lately. The water level is quit high. Can I use the backwash feature to drain the water?
Reply
InyoPools Product Specialist Dennis R. Posted: 6/22/2017
Peanut - It sounds like you have a significant break in one of the filter's laterals, the hub that the laterals go into, or the standpipe coming up from the hub to the top od the filter. You will have to take the sand out of your filter to see this. Seer our guide on "How To Change Sand In a Sand Filter".Reply
Peanut Posted: 6/20/2017
I vacuumed my pool because there was a lot of dirt (sand) and them back washed it and turned it back to filter, I got up today and the whole bottom of my pool is full of sand. what did I do wrong?Reply
InyoPools Product Specialist Dennis R. Posted: 6/11/2017
Patti - You may have a damaged spider gasket in the MPV. See our guide on "How to Replace a Spider Gasket on a Multiport Valve".Reply
Patti Posted: 6/9/2017
After backwashing and rinse, put it back to filter turned it back on and water is still coming out of thereReply
InyoPools Product Specialist Dennis R. Posted: 6/1/2017
Mel - I wouldn't worry about a yellowish sight glass. Water is only seen in the sight glass when it is flowing out of the waste line during backwash and rinse. If the water in the waste line is clear, your site glass is ok.Reply
Mel Posted: 5/29/2017
After backwashing and rinsing, my sight glass is yellowish with a little sand in the bottom. (was clear until about 3 days ago. How do I correct this problem? The water coming out of the backflush is clean and clear as is the rinse waterReply
InyoPools Product Specialist Dennis R. Posted: 5/25/2017
Suzie - Here's an example of how to hook up a suction cleaner through your swimmer - "How To Set Operate the Zodiac X7 Cleaner Through a Skimmer". And, we don"t sell refurbished equipment. Sometimes we do have scratched or dented sales but infrequently. Look for "Clearance Items" in the class of products you may be interested in.Reply
Susie Posted: 5/24/2017
can you tell me how to hook up my sand filter pump so that I can use it as a pool vacuume too. I have the hose hooked to the intake so that I can constantly sweep the floor with the vacuum upon entry is this correct. Do you all sell refurbished sand filter pumps?Reply
InyoPools Product Specialist Dennis R. Posted: 5/6/2017
Kate - You don't have to change anything on your system. Just turn off your pump before you change your multiport valve to "Backwash". Then turn it back on. Also, we recommend turning the handle on your multiport valve in one direction each time your change the mode.Reply
Kate Posted: 5/6/2017
Very new to this, do I turn off the refueller' and skinners when I am back washing.Reply
InyoPools Product Specialist Dennis R. Posted: 5/1/2017
George - It sounds like your spider gasket in your multiport valve is damaged. See our guide on "How to Replace a Spider Gasket on a Multiport Valve". To minimize damage in the future remember to shut off the pump before changing filter modes and only turn the handle in one direction to change modes.Reply
George Posted: 4/29/2017
Why do I have water trickling through my back-wash hose when pump is running on filter is the sand dirty in the filter.Reply
InyoPools Product Specialist Dennis R. Posted: 3/31/2017
Charlotte - Not sure I understand your question. The only way you could have drained your pool to 8" was to close off all the incoming ports (skimmer and suction line) that went above the water line. Otherwise, your pump would have sucked in air and lost prime. All your water to the pump would then be coming from the main drain below the water surface - and going out the waste line. Also when draining your pool, you would use the "Waste". There is no reason to drain the pool water though the filter in the "Backwash" setting.Reply
Charlotte Posted: 3/29/2017
I have just drained my pool. It won't suck the last 8" of water out. I currently have it set to waste. Can I switch it to backwash from the bottom drain?Reply
InyoPools Product Specialist Dennis R. Posted: 3/28/2017
nolan6324 - Here is a link to a blog we just published, "Reducing High Pressure In Your Pool System". It may be able to help you. Check the easy issues first, like a bad pressure gauge or too many diverter valves shut off between the filter and the return jets.Reply
nolan6324 Posted: 3/26/2017
Good evening, I just bought an Above ground pool at the end of last summer with a Hayward filter. Closed it down for winter, and now I have turned on and Have backwashed several times, but the pressure is around 50 and in the summer ran around 10. This is a brand new filter and pool. I am not real familiar with pools, what do you think is going on? help please.Reply
InyoPools Product Specialist Dennis R. Posted: 2/2/2017
Tim - You can keep the skimmer and self-cleaning system on while your backwash your filter. The backwashing process does not take that long for the other operations to have an effect.Reply
Tim Posted: 1/31/2017
Thanks so much for providing a great blog. I just moved into a new place that has a pool. I have a lot to learn. Just checking, when backwashing, does it make a difference if there is a self cleaning system that uses jets to push everything to the middle of the pool which then sucks it all up. Should I simply keep the skimmer and self cleaning system off when backwashing?Reply
InyoPools Product Specialist Dennis R. Posted: 12/5/2016
Ruan - You may have a damaged spider gasket in your multiport valve that is allowing water to flow down the wrong paths. See our guide on "How to Replace a Spider Gasket on a Multiport Valve".Reply
Ruan Posted: 12/3/2016
Hi there if i backwash my swimming pool a few minutes and rinse it and turn to filter a lot of dirty water goes back to swimming pool for about 10 - 20 seconds? im concerned one of the filter fingers may be broken there is sand inbetween the dirt but not much or could the filter have a bit too much sand? before it worked 100% it suddenly started with this problem?Reply
InyoPools Product Specialist Dennis R. Posted: 11/14/2016
backwashing - You may be backwashing too frequently so your water doesn't get that dirty or you may have a damaged spider gasket. See our guide on "How to Replace a Spider Gasket on a Multiport Valve".Reply
Anonymous Posted: 11/11/2016
When I backwash, there is no dirt going through the sight glass. The water remains clear from the start and I hear an air leak when I'm finishedReply
InyoPools Product Specialist Dennis R. Posted: 9/13/2016
valbo - It sounds like you problem is the pump not priming. See our guide on "How To Prime a Pool Pump". Also check to see if your pump's impeller is clogged. See our guide on "How To Clean Out a Pool Pump Impeller".Reply
valbo Posted: 9/10/2016
All valves are open and my hose is ready to receive dirty water. I've set to backwash and turned on the pump. No water leaving the filter, pool, anything. Any advise on why and what to do now?Reply
Mister Dave Posted: 8/10/2016
My filter pressure runs 14 psi after a good flush. One return jet to above ground 24' pool. I feel good pressure from the jet about three feet into the pool. When this declines significantly to say a foot from the jet, I figure I am overdue for a backflush. The pressure rise is only about 3. Hayward 100 pound sand, 2-horse pump.Reply
InyoPools Product Specialist Dennis R. Posted: 7/28/2016
TMK - It sounds like you may have a damaged spider gasket in your multiport valve. See our guide on "How to Replace a Spider Gasket on a Multiport Valve". To prevent damage to the spider gasket, make sure the pump is turned off before changing MPV settings.Reply
TMK Posted: 7/26/2016
When I backwash, and this just started two back washes ago, dirty water also gets sent back into the pool through the jets?!? Anybody know what is wrong?Reply
InyoPools Product Specialist Dennis R. Posted: 7/19/2016
Judi WV - No, there is no advantage to letting your sand filter sit before backwashing and rinsing. The debris is embedded in the sand. Backwashing lifts the sand up into the top of the tank to separate it and loosen up the debris to be purged out the waste line. Rinsing pushes the sand back down to repack it and remove any loose debris left in backwashing.Reply
Judi WV Posted: 7/17/2016
I am new to using a sand filter. Had DE filter in the past. My question is, is it best to let the filter sit not running for any length of time before backwashing and rinsing in order for debris to settle? It is a Hayward sand filer.Reply
InyoPools Product Specialist Dennis R. Posted: 7/12/2016
kathy - The sight glass in on the Waste port and only shows flow when the water is going out the Waste post. Check your pump impeller to make sure it is not clogged and restricting good flow. Check your chemical balance and in particular the pH valve. Get your pH value down to 7.4. High pH can contribute to a cloudy pool. If none of these suggestions work, backwash your filter, shock your pool, and run your pump continuously until the pool is clear. Backwash your pool 2 times a day while the pool is clearing.Reply
InyoPools Product Specialist Dennis R. Posted: 7/11/2016
Jgibson - If you haven't replaced the sand in your filter for a while, you might try that. Or sometimes the pressure gauge itself goes bad and needs to be replaced.Reply
kathy Posted: 7/10/2016
my pool has been cloudy all season. Just changed 150 lbs of sand in my Hayward Sand filter. Still cloudy. 2 days later, I just noticed that the water is not moving freely around like it normally does in the sight glass while the filter is running. The water is just sitting, stagnant in the sight glass. Any idea why the water in the sight glass is not moving around like it usually does while the filter is running?Reply
InyoPools Product Specialist Dennis R. Posted: 7/8/2016
Leaking backwash - It sounds like the spider gasket in your Multiport Valve may be damaged and is letting water leak into the Waste port. See our guide on "How to Replace a Spider Gasket on a Multiport Valve" to locate and possibly replace this gasket.Reply
Jgibson Posted: 7/8/2016
I have a 15x48 round above ground pool. The pressure gauge on my Proline 94440 Sand Filter hovers around 29 PSI. I have back washed it a few times since opening the pool two weeks ago. However, the PSI has not dropped. Do I need to replace anything?Reply
Anonymous Posted: 7/5/2016
After back washing I placed the valve back in filter mode as always. This time the system continued to slowly fill the hose with water as if I were still back washing. The system continues to remove water from the pool. What should I do to stop this from happening. I am refilling the pool with water. HelpReply
InyoPools Product Specialist Dennis R. Posted: 7/2/2016
ksmart - In BACKWASH mode the water should come out the Waste port. See our guide on "How a Multiport Valve Operates".Reply
ksmart Posted: 7/1/2016
ok, where is the water supposed to come out when I BACKWASH my sand filter?Reply
InyoPools Product Specialist Dennis R. Posted: 7/1/2016
Sanmann7 - Make sure your pool chemicals are balanced. Have your pool store check your phosphates level. That can cause cloudiness. Also, backwash and rinse the sand 2-3 more times to clean out the filter.Reply